Rape & Abuse Crisis Center Of Fargo-Moorhead

OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE CRISIS INTERVENTION, ADVOCACY, COUNSELING AND EDUCATION TO ALL VICTIMS AFFECTED BY SEXUAL AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND TO PROVIDE PREVENTION PROGRAMS TO CREATE A SOCIETY FREE OF PERSONAL ABUSE.

AGENCY OVERVIEW: RAPE AND ABUSE CRISIS CENTER OF FARGO-MOORHEAD (RACC) IS THE DESIGNATED PROVIDER OF CRISIS SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF DATING/DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE, STALKING/HARASSMENT, HUMAN TRAFFICKING/SEXUAL EXPLOITATION, AND ELDER ABUSE IN THE FARGO-MOORHEAD-WEST FARGO METROPOLITAN AREA. COMPREHENSIVE, TRAUMA-INFORMED SUPPORT IS PROVIDED TO VICTIMS OF THESE CRIMES IN CASS AND TRAILL COUNTIES IN ND AND CLAY AND WILKIN COUNTIES IN MN. RACC'S MISSION IS TO OFFER 24/7 CRISIS INTERVENTION, ADVOCACY, COUNSELING, AND EDUCATION TO ALL PERSONS AFFECTED BY SEXUAL AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND PROVIDE PREVENTION PROGRAMS TO CREATE A SOCIETY FREE OF PERSONAL ABUSE. SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 1977, RACC HAS SERVED OVER 100,000 INDIVIDUALS. IN 2022, THE AGENCY ADDRESSED THE NEEDS OF 3,319 ADULTS (86.8%) AND CHILDREN (13.2%) WITH THE SUPPORT OF 37 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, 20 ON-CALL AND PART-TIME STAFF, AND 74 VOLUNTEERS. SERVICES TO VICTIMS ARE PROVIDED ON A NON-DISCRIMINATORY BASIS AND AT NO COST TO THEM. CRISIS INTERVENTION/ADVOCACY: RACC'S CRISIS HOTLINE IS AVAILABLE 24/7 FOR THOSE IMPACTED BY ABUSE TO CALL AND SPEAK IMMEDIATELY WITH A MEMBER OF THE AGENCY'S ADVOCACY TEAM. VICTIM SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY PHONE, ON-SCENE AT LOCAL EMERGENCY ROOMS, AND IN-PERSON AT RACC'S PROGRAM CENTER AND VARIOUS OUTREACH SITES (E.G., JAILS, HOMELESS SHELTERS, SCHOOLS, JUVENILE DETENTION CENTERS, AND HUMAN SERVICE CENTERS). IN 2022, THE TEAM ENGAGED 2,810 VICTIMS IN 38,699 SERVICE ACTIVITIES THAT FOSTERED THEIR PERSONAL SAFETY, SELF-SUFFICIENCY, AND WELL-BEING. SERVICE ACTIVITIES INCLUDED EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AND SAFETY PLANNING (55.2%), INFORMATION AND REFERRAL (34.2%), CRIMINAL JUSTICE SUPPORT (5%), PERSONAL ADVOCACY AND ACCOMPANIMENT (4.8%), AND EMERGENCY SHELTER (.08%). AFTER RECEIVING ADVOCACY SERVICES, CLIENTS REPORTED INCREASED PERSONAL SAFETY, KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HOW TO IDENTIFY POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS, AND AWARENESS OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES.COUNSELING: RACC'S COUNSELING TEAM UTILIZES EVIDENCE-BASED THERAPIES TO HELP YOUTH AND ADULTS PROCESS THE SHORT- AND LONG-TERM IMPACTS OF ABUSE. THESE INCLUDE PLAY THERAPY, TRAUMA-FOCUSED COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY, AND STRUCTURED PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR ADOLESCENTS RESPONDING TO CHRONIC STRESS FOR YOUTH AND COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY, EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING, AND PERSON-CENTERED THERAPY FOR ADULTS. IN 2022, THE TEAM PROVIDED 3,614 HOURS OF THERAPEUTIC SERVICES TO 817 INDIVIDUALS AT RACC'S PROGRAM CENTER AND OUTREACH SITES (E.G., PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS, THREE RIVERS CRISIS CENTER, REACH). OF THOSE SERVED, 96.8% ENGAGED IN INDIVIDUAL THERAPY AND 3.2% IN GROUP THERAPY. CLIENTS REPORTED AN INCREASE IN UNDERSTANDING THE DYNAMICS OF ABUSE, UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF ABUSE ON THEIR LIFE, AND HAVING THE SKILLS AND ABILITY TO IDENTIFY, TOLERATE, AND EXPRESS A RANGE OF FEELINGS.PREVENTION EDUCATION: RACC'S PREVENTION EDUCATION TEAM DELIVERS EDUCATION AND TRAINING TO YOUTH, PROFESSIONALS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN A VARIETY OF SETTINGS. THESE INCLUDE K-12 SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, JAILS, JUVENILE DETENTION CENTERS, HOMELESS SHELTERS, VICTIMS SERVICE AGENCIES, MEDICAL FACILITIES, HUMAN SERVICE AGENCIES, AND COMMUNITY TABLING EVENTS. TOPICS INCLUDE THE SIGNS, DYNAMICS, AND IMPACT OF ABUSE; PREVENTION, INTERVENTION, AND REPORTING STRATEGIES; HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP BUILDING; AND INFORMATION ABOUT VICTIM RIGHTS AND SERVICES. IN 2022, THE TEAM FACILITATED 938 PRESENTATIONS TO 18,756 ATTENDEES. AMONG THEM WERE 318 RED FLAG GREEN FLAG (RFGF) PRESENTATIONS TO 6,134 SECOND AND THIRD GRADERS AT 33 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. RFGF, AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM DEVELOPED BY RACC IN 1980, HAS BEEN GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED, IMPLEMENTED IN ALL 50 STATES, AND CREDITED AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL TO HELP CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND SCHOOLS IDENTIFY, PREVENT, AND REPORT SEXUAL ABUSE.SUPERVISED PARENTING TIME/SAFE EXCHANGE: RACC'S RAINBOW BRIDGE PROGRAM PROVIDES A SAFE SPACE FOR FAMILIES THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED ABUSE OR CONFLICT TO ENGAGE IN SUPERVISED PARENT-CHILD VISITS AND SAFE CUSTODIAL EXCHANGES. TO ENSURE SAFETY, CUSTODIAL AND NON-CUSTODIAL PARENTS ENTER AND EXIT THE SITE AT SEPARATE TIMES THROUGH SEPARATE DOORS, ALL PARENT-CHILD TIME IS OBSERVED BY A STAFF MEMBER, AND CHILDREN ARE NEVER LEFT ALONE OR UNSUPERVISED. RAINBOW BRIDGE ACCEPTS REFERRALS FROM CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, THE COURT SYSTEM, AND VICTIM SERVICE AGENCIES. SERVICES ARE OFFERED ON A SLIDING FEE SCALE AND FREE FOR VICTIMS REFERRED BY A MEMBER OF RACC'S ADVOCACY OR COUNSELING TEAM. IN 2022, RAINBOW BRIDGE ENGAGED 100 FAMILIES (178 CHILDREN, 203 ADULTS) IN 765 SUPERVISED VISITS AND 341 SAFE EXCHANGES.DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTERVENTION: RACC'S NOVIOLENCE TEAM PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL AND SKILL-BUILDING FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE USED VIOLENCE IN RELATIONSHIPS. AMEND IS A MEN'S GROUP BASED ON THE 26-WEEK CREATING A PROCESS OF CHANGE FOR MEN WHO BATTER CURRICULUM. EVOLVE IS A WOMEN'S GROUP THAT USES THE 16-WEEK TURNING POINTS CURRICULUM. IN 2022, NOVIOLENCE FACILITATORS LED 6 WEEKLY GROUPS (4 AMEND, 2 EVOLVE) IN VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON FORMATS. COORDINATED COMMUNITY RESPONSE (CCR): RACC IS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN ADVANCING ITS MISSION BY BEING ACTIVE IN A VARIETY OF COMMITTEES AND NETWORKS THAT COORDINATE VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION EFFORTS. STAFF PARTICIPATED IN AND/OR FACILITATED CCR GROUPS INCLUDING THE CASS COUNTY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TASK FORCE, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY/INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY TASKFORCE, ELDER ABUSE FORENSIC NETWORK, ND HUMAN TRAFFICKING TASKFORCE, RED RIVER SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE TEAM (SART), AND SAFE HARBOR CLAY COUNTY RESPONSE TEAM.